Businessman, Quezon City Casino Worker Charged with Fraud

A businessman and a Quezon City casino employee are facing criminal charges for allegedly defrauding a company of P12 million. The accused, businessman Lavish Mohan Paryani and Reigna Reyes, a senior buyer in the casino’s procurement department, were charged by RTI Inc. on October 8, 2024.

According to report published by the Philippine Star, Paryani and Reyes presented themselves as owners of a legitimate company that supplied premium prizes to the casino for its patrons and guests. This meeting was reportedly facilitated by Filipino-Indian billionaire Rajiv Chandiramani, one of the principal stockholders of RTI. The introduction occurred at Paryani’s request, and the two men have known each other for several years, as claimed by Maria Anita Turqueza, the corporate treasurer and duly authorized representative of RTI.

The alleged fraudulent scheme unfolded on April 4, when Paryani and Reyes requested a loan of P10 million from RTI. They assured the company that they would repay the loan within 90 days, along with an additional P2 million in interest. To add credibility to their request, they issued a check for the total amount of P12 million.

However, once the loan was secured, Paryani and Reyes reportedly ceased all communication with RTI. This prompted the company to investigate, leading to the discovery that the check was drawn from a closed bank account. As a result, the check bounced, leaving RTI without the promised funds and raising serious concerns about the legitimacy of the transaction.

In the aftermath of these revelations, Reyes was arrested on October 11. She contended that she should not be held liable for fraud, claiming she did not issue the dishonored check. This defense raises questions about her role in the alleged scheme and whether she was an active participant or merely a pawn in Paryani’s alleged fraud.

Paryani, on the other hand, remains at large and is currently the subject of a police manhunt. Authorities are actively seeking his apprehension, as he did not submit a counter-affidavit despite being subpoenaed.

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